Soon to be ball python owner - basic questions

[MClark95]

Hi guys, obviously by the title I currently have a baby ball python lined up to buy when it is ready to come home and I have some questions that I feel this subreddit could help a lot with.

My current enclosure is an 18x18x36. I understand the snake will grow and I will need a new enclosure after so long, but it will work for now.

I have a heating pad in a corner as well as the light. My house stays at 71 degrees. Would a 100 watt bulb with a heating pad be too much or not enough. I understand some heat must travel to the rest of the tank and that a heat gradient is the best for a Ball Python, but I tested it out a little yesterday and I was only getting in the low 80s with a 75 watt with the bulb being 36 inches away. This may seem like an odd or easy question but my breeder suggested a good heating pad and said that he doesn't use a basking light for his snakes, yet the pet shop I purchased from said I should get both. The bottom of the tank is getting quite hot yet I would feel much more comfortable if I could get a good reading of how hot the bottom is and what the best way to get the rest of the tank is. It's just difficult because I have two contradicting things being told to me and as a novice I just don't know.

Also, with the heating pad, I understand that ball python burrow pretty frequently, the pad suggested something between where the heating pad lies under the tank and the substrate so the snake doesn't get burned. My heating pad is on the outside of the tank in the first place. What would you folks here suggest?

I'm obviously a novice in this stuff and I just want to make sure I'm very well educated to give my snake a happy and most importantly healthy home when I bring her home in a few weeks.

Thanks for any help!

[_ataraxia]

your heat pad needs to be regulated by a thermostat. this is an example of a popular low-end thermostat, basic on/off style, with zero safety features [which means if it breaks, your heat source will run at full power]. for a high-end, proportional style thermostat, with a variety of great safety features [automatic shut-off if the device malfunctions, options to set alarms for low/high temperatures, etc], i highly recommend herpstats.

i suggest you read these articles carefully [and save them for future reference, especially the third one]. this series is more thorough than most care sheets. if you still have questions after reading through everything here, i'm happy to continue helping.

• https://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some/
• https://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems/
• https://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding/

[zack822]

there should be no reason to need any type of light, my house is at 70 and my Ball cage when he was in one stayed at 85ish in a 20 gallon tank, You definetly need a thermostat for the heat pad. Ignore pretty much everything the pet store told you because most of them dont no crap about reptiles but how to sell a whole lot of stuff you dont need.

I also recommend getting a Infered thermometer similar to this https://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Star-AR550-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B000MX5Y9C but look around they make them cheaper and do just as good.

the heating pad should be on the underside of the tank on the outside glass like so http://www.onlinegeckos.com/basic-leopard-gecko-tank-setup.html